Catamenial device



,r June l, 1937. E. J. DE VILLE CATAMENIAL DEVICE Filed July 5, '1934 E Ilia- Ima IN VEN TOR.

f2/Mar c@ Vail?, h @Y ,L -ATTORNEY l Patented June 1, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

This invention relates to sanitary pad shields generally. More particularly this invention relates to sanitary pad shields of the self-supporting type and to a method of making the same.

An object of this invention is to improve the construction of catamenial devices and to reduce the cost of manufacturing the same.

Another object of my invention is to enable the production of my device with a. minimum of waste material.

Another object of my invention is to increase the eiciency and usefulness of the pad to be supported therein.

Another object of the invention is to increase the effective absorbing qualities of a sanitary pad retained in the device by providing a greater exposed area of the pad, without in any Way sacrificing or impeding the security and safety of the pad in the improved device.

Other objects will appear from the detailed description following, which are to be taken as representative devices and limited only as seti forth in the appended claim.

Figure 1 shows a plan view of one form of the pad holding device.

Figure 2 shows an assembled view of the plan shown in Fig. 1 with a pad assembled therein.

Figure 3 shows a plan view of another form of the invention.

Figure 4 is an assembled, view of the plan shown in Fig. 3.

Figure 5 shows a plan view of a dipped catamenial device.

Figure 6 shows a schematic view of a die and matrix for forming the open end pockets of the dipped article shown in Fig. 5.

Figure '7 shows a plan view of a mold used to form a dipped shield.

Figure 8 shows a side view of the mold of Fig. 7.

Figure 9 shows a sectional view of an article made in accordance with this invention on the form shown in Figure 8.

Similar numerals -are employed herein to indicate identical structure.

The catamenial pad shield body I is formed from a sheet of thin, iiexible, and resilient material, such as, rubber. The main body portion of the shield in general approximates the shape of the pad with which it is to be used. Tabs 2 are arranged substantially at the mid-section at each end of the body portion and have an elongated aperture 3 therein for the purpose of receiving the binding tapes of a sanitary pad, la, as illus- (Cl. 12S-290) trated in Fig. 2; the centers of these apertures are substantially onv a line A extending longitudinally of the shield. The tabs 2 are folded back over on to the body portion of the shield and attached to the strips 4 and 9. f

Binding or pad retaining strips 4 and 9 are cut from the sides of the body and are folded along the lines 5. The free ends of these strips are attached to the tabs 2 along edges II. These elements for retaining the pad may be if desired secured to the opposite side edges of these tabs. The tape I2 of the pad la is threaded through the apertures 3 of the shield and the pad la is drawn under the retaining strips 4 and 9 which are fastened to the tabs 2. out over the edges of the midportions of the pad shield from which the retaining strips 4 and 9 are cut. By forming these strips from the sides of the shield body the side edges of the body are indented and prevent the rubber material of the latter from contacting the skin of the wearer.

In Figs. 3 and 4 is shown a catamenial pad shield of a modiied `form comprising a body portion I3 having the edges I0 indented, as shown, and having apertured corner portions I4 folded along lines I5 over the pad to retain it in place on the shield.

The corner binding portions I4 are constructed by folding substantially triangular sections formed on the corners of the body portion inward over the end sections of the shield body. Apertures II are formed in these portions I4 for the purpose of forming open pockets which are readily cleansed. These sections I4 are folded inward over the ends of the body of the shield and vulcanized, cemented or otherwise attached together at 2B, thus leaving holes between adjacent sections through which the tapes I4 are threaded when the shield is applied to a pad for use.

Portions of elements I4 of the binding members extend transversely across the ends of the shield and in the assembled form produce eifective straps to firmly hold the pad in place on the shield.

In this construction as Well as that shown in Figs. l and 2 open end corners are provided whereby more effective cleansing of the shield is permitted, making thereby a more sanitary and hygienic shield.

The articles while shown constructed from sheet material are also adapted to be made by a dipping process. The article shown in Fig. 5 is similar to that sho-wn in Fig. 4 but is made by dipping a suitable mold into a latex solution.

The pad Ia bulges Open end pockets 2| and indented sides 22 are formed by cutting the portions from the article formed on the mold. A suitable die and matrix mounted in a suitable die press shown in Fig. 6 are employed for this cutting operation. The matrix 23 shown inserted into the end 2l of the dipped article 22 and the die 24, relatively rnovable with respect thereto, are employed for removing the desired portions from the ends 2l and 2|a. The indented side 22 is optional on the part of the maker of this shield and may be formed in the dipping process, or a suitably formed matrix and die may be employed for removing sections of the side of the body.

The articles shown in Figs. 1 4 or any other similarly shaped shield, may be made by the use of a suitable mold 21 to form the article in one unitary piece, by dipping in `a latex bath. This form as well as the form employed in the manuacture of shield shown in Fig. 5 is supported in appropriate chain or rack devices and passed through or dipped into the latex bath to receive a rubber deposit thereon. The textureY and Weight of the deposit are governed largely by the rate of speed and the number of times the forms' or molds are dipped or passed through the latex bath or solution.

The mold or form 2l shown in Fig. 7 adapted to produce the nished article is the shape of the desired article and consists of the portions 25 of appropriate shape and size to form the open end pockets. Sharp projecting elongated edge-like members 2S are provided on the mold to form the apertures in the ends of the pad shield which receive the binding tapes for securing the pad in place and support it in use. The sections 25 are bounded by sharp edged projections 25a for the purpose of rendering the rubber deposited in the sections 25 easily removable irom the rubber deposited on the other surfaces of the mold. When the dipped article is removed from the form 2l it assumes the shape of the article 21al illustrated in Fig. 9, with the Open end pockets corresponding to the sections 25 of Fig. '7, formed therein.

While I have described the preferred embodiments of this invention in detail it is apparent to those skilled in the art to which it relates that various modifications thereof may be made Without departing from the spirit and scope thereof and that therefore I do not desire to limit it to those exact details except in so far as they are defined by the following appended claim.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A blank from which a sanitary pad shield may be formed, comprising a substantially ob'- long, exible, and pliable body portion of a size such as to cover the underside of the pad when assembled therewith, an angularly shaped, loop-like member formed on each corner of said oblong body portion integral therewith and adapted to be folded over upon the said body portion, said angularly shaped loop-like members extending from the-ends of said body in a line parallel with the said body, said angularly shaped loop-like members being of substantially the same size and oi a length such that the outermost free tip portions of adjacent pairs thereof are adapted to be joined together when folded over the corresponding end of said body to form strap-like loops bridging said body.

EDWARD J. DE VILLE. 

